Memento Mori
by Petite Neko Kitsune
Summary: One fateful day, a romantic meeting and mysterious dreams that may not be exactly as they seem. Visions of a life not lived yet vivid in mind... This my young guest, is the next verse in your song. Play it well for it may be your last...
1. Fool

**_Memento Mori: Persimmon Tree Memories_**

I have no idea what I'm doing anymore… I keep having these dreams about my new friends and people I have never met… My classmate, Ryoji Mochizuki, seems to frequent these dreams… He holds more meaning in them than most… He symbolizes death…

"Hey," The voice laughed lightly, "I don't think taking a nap there is a wise idea." Speak of the devil… I opened my silver eyes to gaze at the male standing before me. I was sitting in the grass, propped up against the persimmon tree in the courtyard of our school. My headphones hung loosely around my neck, blasting their sacred music. "You alright, Arisato-kun?"

"Yeah…" I had looked up at him out of natural instinct. Ryoji was bent slightly forward to become more eye level with me, his arms behind his back. His stance reminded me vaguely of something a girl would do. "You look like a girl standing like that…" His worried blue eyes changed to confusion, but settled into a glare before he fell to the ground beside me, sitting cross-legged.

"That was mean," his glare still present, "at least I don't fall asleep on a tree." I smiled slightly. His odd, child-like behavior was always amusing. I still remember last November, when we first met. I was so emotionless back then… I guess I still am but I am showing more and more each day, however, it's only to one person. The only person that has ever made me display true emotions to the outside world. It all started on November 9th…

* * *

"Alright class, he have our third new student… That makes it a hat trick," silence filled the room. "Please introduce yourself." Ms. Toriumi said with a sigh, The tall, dark-haired boy beside her smiled before making his way to the front. His dual-colored blue eyes locked with mine before he spoke.

"Hello, I'm Ryoji Mochizuki. It's a pleasure to meet you." He flashed me a charming smile, which I returned with a slight blush that was hardly noticeable. 'How strange…' I thought to myself. He gripped his yellow scarf out of… nervousness, maybe? The scarf, and the rest of his attire, looked good on him but still held to our school uniform codes. "I'd be grateful if you could show me the ropes."

The class instantly erupted into not-so-quiet whispering, many girls gossiping about 'how hot he is' or 'how they think they just fell in love'… hmm… I remember them doing the same thing to me. Boys mostly noted his slightly feminine gestures and how he looked like he came from a wealthy family. "Settle down class. Ryoji, that will be your seat for the remainder of the year," Ms. Toriumi declared while pointing to the first seat in the second row, "Would anyone like to show him around the school after class?" Now, normally, I wouldn't bother with this considering his new fan base, but… I was curious about him and obviously I wasn't the only one. "My, it seems you're quite popular already." Her gaze settled on me. "Why, Minato, I didn't think you would be eager to show Ryoji around! Since this is rare, why don't you give him a tour of the school?"

I nodded in agreement; my silver eyes met the dark-haired boy's once again. There was an unidentifiable spark within them, and his smile seemed to have grown ever so slightly. I find myself blushing yet again… How did he do it? I've never blushed so much in one day. The boy with speckled blue eyes went to his newly assigned seat shortly after and Ms. Toriumi attempted to start our lesson, without much success… Everyone was too busy gossiping about our new classmate. I, without a care, laid my head down and was asleep within minutes. I felt someone shaking me… I opened my eyes, still half asleep. "'Bout time you woke up, Ryoji here's been waiting all day." A squeak and mutterings of "I wasn't waiting that long" followed.

My gaze shifted to the two males at my desk; one was our new classmate, Ryoji - I could tell from the yellow scarf. The other was my best friend, Junpei Iori; the baseball-cap-wearing male had been the one to wake me up. I glanced around and noticed we were the only ones in class… The sun's not in the right spot for lunch. "You slept through lunch… Junpei-kun said that's normal…"I guess it was, wasn't it? Ryoji seemed so talkative and energetic, yet, he also had a shy, nervous side that I seemed to be on the receiving end of.

I brushed my sapphire hair out of my face, but it just fell back a second later. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you wait for so long." I saw a light blush cover his cheeks, probably out of embarrassment. Before he had the chance to object, I spoke softly. "Do you still want me to show you around?" He nodded with slight hesitation. "Then let's go, shall we?" I smiled lightly to encourage him to just be himself and not worry about nervousness. The scarf-wearing boy returned it with his own charming smile. "Will you be joining us, Junpei?"

Ryoji and I turned our gaze to the youngest male, dual blue eyes full of newfound curiosity, my own as blank as pure snow… only silver. Junpei joined his hands together behind his head in thought. "Nah… I think I'm going babe hunting," his voice lowered to a whisper, only meant to be heard by him, "I wonder if Chidori's around today…" I nod blankly; I wished the best for him and this Chidori he always talks about. "Hey, since Ryoji's new, you should show him around town."

Leave it to Junpei to give me even more work. "That's alright; I wouldn't want to be any trouble." I didn't mind, I had nothing to do today, so I might as well. I nodded then started for the door; the dark haired boy followed a few steps behind. That was my first meeting with the mysterious flirt, Ryoji Mochizuki.

* * *

"Arisato-kun, you spaced out again." I realized I was still sitting with Ryoji near the Persimmon Tree. I guess I got caught up in the memory. I smiled softly-the blue-eyed boy had me doing that more often than I used to. "Thinking about something? You're smiling, you know."

"It's your fault… You amuse me." I slightly teased. The elder boy smiled fondly before nodding, accepting that it was his fault. Lately, I've felt an odd spark every time I see that smile. I'm the only one he ever gives it to, I've noticed.

"Hey, do you remember the proposing game?" How could I forget? That was the first time I showed real emotion in class. It was December 3rd…

* * *

Ms. Toriumi wanted us to participate in this weird game she had seen on television. This was the third round. The class was split into groups, and one group would randomly pick an individual from the second group and preform the action for said round. This round was titled 'strange ways to propose.' I was in group two with friend and fellow classmate, Yukari Takeba. Junpei and Ryoji were part of group one. Iori had already made his sarcastic and comical proposal to the pink-clad girl, much to the cap-wearing male's dismay; she tried to murder him afterwards.

"Alright Ryoji, show us your talent." A light laugh echoed through the class. We all knew the blue-eyed teen was a flirt and knew how to use his words to make the girls swoon. Strange or not, the girl he chose would accept with a blush and shining eyes. The dark-haired boy made his way to the center of the room. "Who will you propose to?"

The elder male cleared his throat; he looked over group two with searching eyes before meeting with my silver ones. "Minato Arisato," he declared. I'll admit, that surprised me, I thought he would choose one of the lovely young ladies… or more. A gasp of surprise erupted from the entire class at his selection. I made my way to the center of the class when Ms. Toriumi beckoned me to Ryoji's side. The English composition teacher motioned for him to begin his skit. "Minato Arisato, I am but a shadow upon this world and you are my guiding light, my dearest, I just wanted to say…" he trailed off, an amused grin overtaking his features momentarily as he looked at the floor before regaining his serious expression as his eyes found mine again. "I want to have your babies!" He shouted and dropped to his knees in a begging position. "Please, stay with me forever!"

I could tell the scarfed boy was having a hard time taking this seriously; his grin was enough proof of that. His declaration left me at a loss for words. The class roared into a fit of laughter and giggles at the unusual exclamation; I, however, could only find flaws with his logic. Our classmates silenced themselves when the brunette instructor made it known that I still needed to respond to his proposal. Once the room was quiet, I hesitantly spoke my thoughts, "Ryoji-kun…" My blank silver gaze met his waiting blue pools. "You're not a girl… You can't have babies." I found it interesting how everyone either fell over or slapped themselves in the face at my answer.

A thoughtful expression crossed the mysterious flirt's face as he got to his feet, "Darn… I didn't think of that…" His curious and thinking tone was replaced with amused sarcasm, "and here I was all excited about giving birth… What a pity." The surrounding group giggled at the eccentric exchange from our abnormal performance, and the intensity of the act eventually hit me like a ton of bricks. Ms. Toriumi laughed lightly before signaling us to rejoin our assigned groups. The raven-haired flirt turned to make his way back to his teammates; he stopped and glanced over his shoulder at the light sound emanating from my lips. The male with a scarf of golden yellow rotated to face me yet again. The curious eyes of everyone around had fallen upon me. I held my pale hand over my mouth, trying to silence the joyous sound escaping me. A spark lit up in Ryoji's eyes as he asked, "Arisato-kun… Are you… Are you laughing?"

Without warning, I ungracefully, and unintentionally, burst into a fit of laughter; the comical aspect of his proposal overriding my naturally distant and emotionless personality. Even through my gasping giggles, I could tell the class was staring at me, wide eyed and in a state of shock, as well as the scarf wearing male that had made this event come to pass. I understand why… They were surprised to see me laugh, especially so openly, and all because of the biggest flirt at Gekkoukan Private High. Said flirt's eyes sparkled with happiness and satisfaction as he watched me. Once my outburst subsided, I looked at the boy in front of me, his dual-colored blue pools staring straight into my steel-colored ones. "You're… strange…" I said between gasps. A bright smile covered the elder's visage, which I returned with my own genuine, bright smile.

* * *

Ever since that day, I've started showing more and more emotion, however, it's only around Ryoji. He is the only one able to pull these conflicting feelings out of my closed and reserved mind against my will. "I remember it clearly…" I paused, "for days after that, everyone pestered me to know if something was going on between us." My silver gaze turned to look at his amused blue one; a slight breeze ruffled his hair and made his scarf start flapping with the wind. "It didn't help that when they asked you, you said 'It's a secret'…" The raven haired male beside me snickered with amusement.

"It's not my fault they took it the wrong way." Ryoji continued his habit of staring at me, a look of longing seemed to cloud his eyes but, that could just be a trick of the light. A solemn smile crossed his features, the same look of desire I thought was there remained intact, despite my initial thought. "Though, to tell the truth, I kind of wanted them to think that…" he trailed off as a look of near agony and sadness washed over his visage. He lowered his gaze to the dirt covered floor around us and the persimmon tree. "I... I didn't know why… but… I wanted people to think… You were mine… Minato-Chan…" A surge of surprise coursed through my body, not only had he finally called me by my first name… he also changed the honorific, to one more associated with girls but still it caught me off guard. My shock was also partially fueled by his near confession.

"Ryoji-kun…" I whispered under my breath, I felt an uncomfortable twinge in my stomach; it didn't hurt but left me feeling quite nervous and overwhelmed. I could feel my cheeks flush a light pink as blood rushed to my face, I felt like I was on fire but it didn't bother me. The boy with dual colored blue eyes may not have realized just what those few words told me, just what his confession meant. My silver gaze softened from my usual uncaring, zombie-like state to one of understanding and… I think my newfound affection may have shown as well. "Ryoji-kun… Are you trying to tell me something?"

The raven haired boy kept his eyes on the ground and hid his blushing face in his long golden yellow scarf; I found the act to be very cute. "W-what I'm t-trying to say is…" I watched him and waited patiently, the school bells had long since passed and there was no fear of being caught. "I like you… Minato-chan." He whispered, hoping that I hadn't heard those few, very important and special words that sent an electric shock through my unprepared system. Without realizing it, I had crawled over to the elder boy so I sat directly in front of him. My hand placed itself on his crimson hued cheek, bringing his blushing face away from its safe haven buried within the scarf. His eyes met mine, a look of sadness and genuine admiration clouded his beautiful blue eyes.

"I think… I like you too… Ryo-kun…" I watched his face flush even more, if that was possible, at my whispered words. My hand traveled from his cheek to the back of his neck, and using this new spot to my advantage, I pulled him closer to me. His startled look of surprise and hopefulness was the last thing I saw before I slid my silver pools shut and closed the gap between us.

To Be Continued in Chapter Two:

"Velvet Room Blues"


	2. Magician

**_Memento Mori: Ch. 2 "Velvet Room Blues"_**

_Ryoji's POV_

The sky was clear, the air was clean, and the day was bright and perfect in every way. It had been a week since that fateful meeting under the persimmon tree. The scene kept replaying in my mind, over and over; I couldn't help the stupid smile that dominated my features. I was blissfully unaware of everything around me, daydreaming of my dearest and what I hoped of for the future. Ms. Toriumi's lecture flew in one ear and out the other; I had no idea what she was talking about anymore. I did try to listen to the English teacher, however, my mind would start losing focus and my thoughts would drift further from the initial subject. I had my arms folded out in front of me on my desk, and my head eventually wound up lying on said arms. My eyes grew heavier with each passing second and soon I was fast asleep, ignorant to my surroundings with a stupid smile glued to my face.

_"Thou art I, and I am thou. From the sea of thy soul I come forth. I am Thanatos, bringer of Death."_ That was my voice, wasn't it? I must have fallen asleep because this had to be a dream. Why was Minato-Chan holding a gun to his head? He was watching me curiously while slowly lowering the gleaming silver weapon and placing it in a holster on his belt. Silver eyes continued to stare as he began quietly conversing with an elderly man with a nose the size of… well, something huge, and a girl in a blue flight attendant dress. I felt myself shake violently. Why? I didn't know. It felt like a tidal wave was pushing and pulling my body into a fit of uncontrollable movement. Without warning, my state of weightlessness disappeared and I was falling. A loud thud resounded in my ears causing them to pop uncomfortably, and an intense pain shot through my backside and up my spine. My dual blue eyes flew open, quickly adjusting to wakefulness. I instantly spotted Junpei, one of my best friends and the current class clown, standing with his arms crossed and wearing an evil grin as he watched me pick myself up off the floor. Minato was beside me in the floor making sure I was alright and hadn't broken anything.

"I told you I could get him to wake up," the baseball-cap-wearing male said proudly. My companion on the floor glared up at him while muttering things like "I wouldn't have let you if I'd known you'd do that" under his breath. A small smile crossed my features as our fingers intertwined underneath the protection of my bright yellow scarf. "Hey Ryoji, Minato and I were thinking about hanging out at the arcade-you wanna join?"

Did he really need to ask? "Sure, sounds like fun." I got to my feet with Minato's help, stretching slightly to rid myself of the still evident pain of colliding with the floor. "Stupid floor… I always knew it was out to get me" I thought bitterly. "Well, what are we waiting for?" I questioned excitedly as I practically hopped over the desks and rushed out the classroom door. Jumping was a quicker means of transport than walking and dodging in my opinion. My surroundings told me that school must have ended a little while ago because the halls were still slightly crowded with students, but not nearly as many as if school had just ended. I vaguely acknowledged the small crowd of, maybe, four girls watching me intently; I think they were part of my fan club, if I remember them correctly. I flashed them a charming smile before turning back to watch Junpei and Minato exit the classroom in a much slower pace than I had.

I swear it took forever for us to get to the front gate and then Minato suddenly remembered he forgot his book bag in the classroom. Being the nice guy I am, I offered to run back and grab it. I… encountered some problems during my trip. One thing I will say is… getting trapped in the classroom by a herd of rabid fan-girls is not a good idea. I had just walked out the sliding door when they surrounded me. I felt like a small animal being circled by a pack of hungry wolves. Their intriguing confessions of love and offers to "hang out", honestly, kind of scared me. Oh, and telling them I've already chosen my princess for the day, probably wasn't the best choice of action. I swear I seen murder in their eyes… scary…

"Mochizuki," that familiar voice sent my panicked system into one of relief. There at the entrance to the student council room, stood the president herself, Mitsuru Kirijo. "Mochizuki, do you mind if I borrow a moment of your time?" I quickly replied with 'no, I don't mind' cause I honestly wanted as far away from this crowd as possible Thankfully the elder redhead guided me towards the stairs that lead to the lobby and the school gate where Minato and Junpei were waiting. The rabid girls glared murderously at us, especially Mitsuru. "You're lucky I could hear them harassing you. If I hadn't… well, let's just say, Arisato would be devastated." She looked at me with a knowing smile, "don't you think?"

I felt my face heat up; even my ears must have turned red. How did she know? Or did she know? "Why do you say that, Mitsuru-Senpai?" We stopped abruptly at the shoe lockers, the student council president watched me intently. I looked over at our school vendor to delay and avoid eye contact; I couldn't bring myself to meet her eyes. I realized then that the elder knew of the secret between me and the silent young bluenette, there was no denying it. I ran a hand through my pitch black hair out of nervousness, my ice blue eyes searching for something other than the girls own chocolate pools. I think I saw people crowded at the top of the stairs watching our every move, but I could have been mistaken.

"You're not exactly subtle in your affections. I don't believe anyone else realizes yet, but I have noticed a change in you two." Her expression softened to one of amusement and understanding. "I believe you mean well and won't hurt him. Until you and Arisato are ready, I won't tell anyone." I felt a surge of relief at her statement. I nodded a slight thank you before we turned back to the colossal glass doors and started towards the gate.

I was thankful Mitsuru explained the delay when we reached the two younger males. Minato watched me with unblinking, concerned eyes. I grinned to show I was fine thanks to the 3rd year student. I closed my eyes momentarily, when I opened them I didn't expect to be looking at a science laboratory. "Death arcana, this thing shouldn't exist!" the scientist exclaimed while pointing at my foggy form. "Have Aigis destroy it before something happens." Everything that played out next was a blur of color, but, I remember a girl, she was on a bridge; the sky had an eerily green glow and a car was flipped up on its side. The young blond girl was pointing at me, her fingers like the barrel of a gun, I could almost feel the overpowering knowledge that this blue eyed girl was going to shoot and try to kill me enter my unfocused mind. I clenched my eyes closed, waiting for the inevitable bullet to pierce my flesh, I gasped for breath when my clouded psyche cleared and my eyes reopened. I had apparently collapsed in a heap on the concrete walkway and was clutching my head in agony. Minato was at my side on the ground, tightly grasping my arm in worry. I must say, he looked cute in his near panicked state.

"Dude, what happened?!" The cap wearing male was just about as alarmed… he just wasn't cute. The silver eyed male helped me to my feet for the second time that day. What was that vision anyway? I think I'm going insane… I understand having a dream when you're sleeping but I'm wide awake right now. I wonder if it's a sign or something.

"Sorry guys… I think it would be best if I go home today…" Mitsuru nodded in understanding, she must have realized it happened out of nowhere. Junpei seemed upset that his plans backfired but understood why I needed to cancel. I could tell Minato wanted to walk with me to make sure I was alright. "Don't worry Minato-Chan, I'll be fine. Go and have fun with Junpei." I smiled to assure the younger boy that I would live. After some farewells and a few anxious glances, I started my journey home. The more I walked, the more confused I became. I think people were following me but I didn't exactly care at this point. My problem was... where did I live again? Maybe I should have asked my dearest to walk with me.

"That's the wrong way, you know." I jumped at the sudden voice behind me. I shifted around to glance at the young boy who had startled me. He was young, probably in his last year at the elementary school, hair the color of nothingness and wild blue eyes, Pharos. "You're going the wrong way." He repeated in that mysterious voice of his when my bewilderment was caught by his eyes. Dozens of memories rapidly flooded by brain, everything I was starting to and had forgotten was making their way to the forefront of my mind. I chuckled at my own stupidity, how could I have forgotten such simple yet important facts such as those. "It's starting, isn't it?" It all made sense now, things that didn't happen yet I knew where true found a place in my head. Why I forgot important things and why I had that vision earlier… It all came back to haunt me.

"Yeah, I think it is…"

* * *

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, my young guest." The long nosed man greeted you fondly. You take a seat in the chair across from him and await an explanation that's long overdue. "It would seem the strings of fate have more in store for you than I originally thought." The velvet room master, commonly known as Igor, waved his hand to summon his sacred tarot cards before interlacing his fingers beneath his abnormally large nose. Select cards flipped themselves over at seemingly random to tell a story, one only a few could read properly. A young lady dressed all in blue, walks up to you and hands you a small key. "I believe you will need this again, dear guest."

Elizabeth, his assistant, smiled knowingly before stating her thoughts. "There will be others joining you, old friends and new allies… old and new enemies. There is one particular acquaintance that I suggest you watch closely." The girl in the all blue flight attendant dress grinned; it almost seemed cat-like with her glowing yellow eyes. "My little brother, Theodore, and sister, Margaret, will also be joining us in the velvet room to better assist you." You nod slightly, an understanding fills your being, but you don't remember why. You clutch the Contractors Key tightly in your palm, almost as if it would disappear otherwise.

"Your contract remains the same as it was… However, this time we will have more than one guest. You will soon find them of your own accord; teach them that which I cannot." Igor focused his eyes of unknown color on you, searching for something that was hidden deep with your psyche. "At least one of our guests has not yet awakened to their power of persona but holds an even greater and destructive power that could be a valuable ally or a worthy foe." The master of the velvet room furrowed his bushy eyebrows in thought. He glanced at his assistant; you detect a hint of worry pass between them. Your look of confusion must have drawn their attention. "I am truly sorry, my young guest… I fear this journey will test your limits…"

You nod in comprehension, the other life had pushed you to the ultimate limit, and now it's happening again but this time you won't be alone. You will protect the great seal in this new world, as well as all the keepers of the wild card. "Your journey takes you to Iwatodai, a place of important value and remembrance… But you already knew that, didn't you?" Elizabeth smiled gently, her words sparking memories of a previous time. You nod again, your purpose is clear. Igor nods, glad you understand. The flight attendant brushed back her pure white hair and fixes her hat before discreetly winking at you. They both wish you luck on your new adventure. "This world will be new to you and all that once was, will no longer be. I wish you good fortune."

Igor closed his eyes, a knowing smile upon his lips. "It will be wonderful working with you again, even if it's a different time and place. Until we meet again… Farewell."

**_To Be Continued in Chapter Three:_**

**_"Playing the Field"_**

* * *

Well, here is chapter two... I don't own anything (Wish I did)... Hope you enjoy my failure at writing, sorry if anything seems out of place or if the characters are too OOC... would appreciate a review ;)


	3. High Priestess

_**Memento Mori: Ch. 3 "Playing the Field"**_

_Junpei's POV_

It was a day like any other, old and boring. I think I heard people say it was going to rain; so, I'm just waiting for the evil liquid drops. Two days ago, I went to the arcade with Minato; Ryoji had to cancel because of sudden illness. Yeah right, I bet he went off to meet a girl. He's been acting like a love-sick puppy, torn between happiness at their newfound love and sadness at hiding it. Minato is also acting a bit strange… They have been getting awfully close… I wonder if… nah, not likely.

I walk down the overly crowded hallways, the lunch bell just rang and everyone wants out of their classrooms. "Iori!" I stop and look back at the source of the voice. Mitsuru Kirijo, the student council president beckons me over to her; two decent sized boxes beside her. "Iori, would you lend me a hand with these? Mr. Edogawa says they're very important and wants them soon." Edogawa…you mean the creepy nurse? Probably some weird chemicals he uses for his experiments that Minato has a habit of testing. I nod indifferently and say 'sure'. I didn't really have anything to do and if it takes long enough, I get to miss some of class. I fix my hat before grabbing the larger of the two boxes; why didn't she have other student council members help with this?

We walked from the congested entry in front of the Student Council room to the deserted passage beside the nurse's office. The guy was a creep, he looked way to happy when we dropped off those boxes. "So, Senpai… You noticed how strangely Minato and Ryoji's been acting?" I asked just to make conversation; the quiet walk was driving me insane. I needed to spread the gossip anyway, may as well start with the redhead. "They've become boyfriends," that sounded better when it went through my head. I'd meant they were boyfriends to a couple of girls but it really sounded like I meant to each other.

Mitsuru stopped dead in her tracks causing me to turn around just to see her reaction; she seemed surprised by the knowledge. "You know?" I guess she understood my true meaning, I felt compelled to learn what she knew so I nodded and responded with how obvious it was. "I'm surprised you caught their affection or did they tell you of their relationship?" That had me stop and think… their affection? Their relationship… shouldn't it be relationships? Unless… wow, wait a minute here! Are they having a relationship with each other?! How did I not notice this…? I mean I'm with them practically all the time and it's never caught my attention. I think the elder student realized her flaw at my stunned and dumbfounded expression. "Oh my… you didn't know, did you?"

"Know?! Senpai, are you telling me my two best friends are gay and together?!" I didn't mean for my voice to get louder with each word. I wasn't mad, surprised and freaked, and maybe a little upset but not mad. Why did they tell Mitsuru-senpai and not tell me…? I think I have a right to know these things. Honestly, that does explain a lot of things that I'd been wondering about, but usually I could tell if I was with a couple in secret. I would always feel like a third wheel, I haven't felt that way with those two; I should watch them for a while. I have a feeling something is going to happen soon.

Mitsuru and I said our goodbyes at the stairs; she also threatened me with an execution if I did or said anything stupid about this. There were a few good minutes before the bell rang when I finally got back to my homeroom class; I wished I had taken longer on my walk back. Ryoji and Minato were conversing at the sapphire-haired boy's desk, he appeared sleepy and it showed in his glazed orbs. The third transfer student of the year was cheerfully rambling about something he must have found interesting. "Junpei!" The eldest male shouted my name when he finally glanced towards the door and noticed my presence. Minato's blank eyes turned to me, I grinned knowing the look in his eyes. He was tired, hungry because he slept through lunch, and desperately wishing to listen to his music. This happened almost daily so it's no surprise that I've learned this about the slightly older male. "Hey, we were thinking of going to Club Escapade later. That pop star, Risette is doing a secret concert there tonight, want to join us?"

I laughed and scratched the back of my head; leave it to Ryoji to find this information. I was surprised considering it sounded like a date more than a group outing, but it just meant they didn't mind my company. "Sounds like fun, I heard she's pretty cute for being two years younger than us." The talkative boy laughed, he must have realized that was the part I really cared about; the cute girls. "So, nothing's going to cost right?" he shook his head, which was good because I was currently broke. "Cool, we going right after school to get the best seats?"

Minato chose that moment to tune back into the conversation; he glanced at me curiously before speaking in his near whisper voice. "You and Ryoji-kun are…" he trailed off for a moment before continuing. "I have club meetings today; I'll meet up with you there." Sounded like a plan to me and maybe while he's occupied I can get some kind of idea about the secret relationship. For the record, I have nothing against them being together nor do I have a phobia of gays. It does kind of freak me out that it was happening under my nose. I think he was going to say more but was harshly interrupted by the bell and Ms. Toriumi's demand to be seated. I slouched in my chair and proceeded to half listen to what was being taught and half contemplate what I had just learned about my friends. Today was defiantly going to be interesting.

* * *

Club Escapade was booming with activity, the loud music was shaking the entire building and sending electric shocks through my system. Ryoji and I were sitting at the bar with a couple cans of Ceilo Mist since neither of us was old enough to actually drink. We were waiting for one of two things to happen: Minato to show up or Risette to start her performance. The place was packed with perverts waiting to see the breathtaking singer and pretty girls here for the music. Some of them had to be college students considering I'd never seen them before and they didn't have uniforms; they seemed pretty wasted even for college students. We were scoping the place for babes… well, I was… I wasn't sure if Ryoji was looking at guys, girls, or if he was looking at all. I shifted my calculative gaze from the boy beside me to see two totally hot and drunk girls walking our way. "Hey there, got a name sweetheart?" being the guy I am I was ecstatic about the attention.

"Names Junpei Iori, What's yours?"

The lovely ladies giggled lightly, the one with lustrous lavender hair and bright silver eyes, reminisce of Minato's own, spoke first. "I'm Seiko…" She trailed off; her voice was soft and barely audible over the deafening music pouring from the speakers.

The blue-haired beauty with dark green eyes was much louder and bolder with her statement. "Ayeka, Ayeka Utada and don't you forget it." She declared proudly, "what about you cutie, what's your name?" her question causing the raven-haired boy to blush and cover his face in his scarf only to have her tug it away from his face. The boy was red, I'm not talking light pink or a small blush; no, I'm talking outright red, ruby red, crimson red, bright freaking red. I get the feeling something bad is about to happen… Maybe I'm just paranoid but when someone is that drunk and that clingy it's bound to cause problems of some sort.

I knew everything was going to end disastrously which only reinforced my paranoia when Ayeka jumped onto Ryoji's lap and practically tried to rape the poor boy. Now, the feeling of watching your best friend get raped wasn't nearly as fear-inducing as the sensation of knowing all hell was going to break loose when Minato walked through the door. Despite Arisato's calm, collected demeanor, you could tell he was pissed. His eyes narrowed into a blank glare. Behind that emotionless mask was a raging fire filled with murderous thoughts, or at least that was what I feared. "Junpei… Ryoji… Could I speak to you outside?" The bluenette demanded more than asked as he got closer. I'm not sure if that was relief or fear in Ryoji's blue eyes. Without a second thought, the eldest male jumped up quickly, knocking the drunken girl on his lap to the floor and hesitantly making his way to the door. He stopped momentarily to grab my wrist and drag me along, possibly to have a witness incase Minato decides to commit homicide. Personally, I feared what was about to happen; the underlining atmosphere was tense and left me dreading the outcome.

We made our way outside to the empty alley on the left side of the entrance, our right since we were currently exiting the building. "Minato-Chan, it's not what it looked like…" I nearly screamed at the scarfed boy, everyone knows you don't say that to your jealous and angered lover unless you want slapped. A sickening sound of skin colliding with skin reached my ears and the sight of Ryoji falling to the ground holding his red and probably swollen cheek made me gulp in slight anxiety. It wasn't a slap but I'm sure it hurt just as much if not more; I just didn't expect the younger of the two to slug him. I wasn't scared exactly but I really wanted to blend into the shadows right now. Honestly, a pissed Minato was quite frightful when you've never seen the boy do more than give a small smile and a blank stare. "What was that for?!"

Oh no, here it comes; Mitsuru-senpai is so going to execute me… No scratch that, she'll just flat out kill me. "What on Earth was that? You seemed to be getting really friendly with that girl while I wasn't around!" This was like a scene from a really bad drama, Minato was fuming like a girl that just caught their boyfriend cheating with some… girl. You know what I'm talking about? The T.V. dramas where the girl gets suspicious of her boyfriend and confronts him (or walks in on the act), they fight and eventually break up and it's all because they don't think they're good enough for each other. What?! I get bored on Sundays and watch whatever's on! After an hour Tanaka gets dull, so I end up watching weird stuff when I channel surf. "Why…? I thought…" I tuned out most of their argument because, honestly, it's a private matter and they probably don't realize I'm here… Plus, I don't want to be held accountable for this.

My attention was drawn back to my two best friends about five to ten minutes later, depending on your internal clock, when I heard Ryoji whisper the dumbest thing possible to say in a battle with your lover that suspects foul play. "Maybe I wanted that… Maybe I wanted to be with her! Maybe I'd rather have no commitment and want to make myself available at all times!" … That was a low blow, like really low… If it wasn't such a delicate time and completely inappropriate, I would have been amused by just how much emotion crossed the bluenette's face: hurt, sadness, betrayal… God, even I pity him enough to want to give the scarfed boy a beat down. Said male's eyes grew wide as the words escaped his lips and a hand flew up to cover his mouth, probably hoping to stop the harsh verses before they were known. I looked back over to Minato, tears where starting to stream down his pale cheeks from his usually cold silver pools. "M-Minato, I-" I watch the younger male throw a small object that I couldn't really see at the other. Then, the music fanatic took off, sprinting as fast as he could through his blurry eyes. By some uncanny coincidence, all power around us decided to cut out; leaving us in total darkness.

Ryoji collapsed to his knees before his eyes had settled on the unknown object the "leader" had thrown at him, reaching for it and grasping it tightly in his palm. I hesitantly removed myself from the shadows and made my way to his side; I knelt down and placed my hand on his shoulder. It made me feel guilty when his weeping gaze snapped up to meet my own sorrowful one. "Hey…" I started softly, didn't want to add to the injury. "What's that? I asked, nodding to his hands, indicating I was wondering about the thrown object.

"It's my glow ring… I gave it to him because…" He choked back a sob, "because I made a promise to him…" Those final words made Ryoji crumble, bursting in to cries of pain that left you feeling like an ass for not stopping everything before it started. I hesitantly wrapped an arm around his shoulder, attempting a comforting half-hug… At least, I hope it was comforting for him because it was really awkward for me. My only thought was that I hoped Minato had someone to comfort him before he tries anything stupid. "What have I done…?" I turned to the elder boy beside me as he repeated in a shaky, horrified voice. "What have I done?"

To Be Continued in Chapter Four:

"Whirlwind"

* * *

Please review and let me know what you think... oh and thank you OrpheusBladedge and Min-Min for reviewing, I really appreciate your encouragement!


	4. Empress

Sorry for the wait... Here is chapter four and I'm uploading five since it took so long... I don't own anything, this is only for entertainment purposes and I'm not getting paid for it... Besides if I did own it Ryoji would be with Minato...

* * *

Memento Mori: Ch. 4 "Whirlwind"

Mitsuru's POV

Ice covered the entire room around Iori and me. To say I was agitated would be a massive understatement, I was furious. For the last two days, I have been wondering about Arisato's lack of emotion and recent decline into depression. The younger boy had been doing so much better with showing his passions to the world around him, especially those within S.E.E.S. Then when I mentioned that flirt, Mochizuki, I find myself comforting a sobbing bluenette! Apparently, they got into a "heated discussion" and it terminated their bond as lovers. When I asked the silver-eyed male the details of this dispute, he said to ask the cap-wearing male, Junpei Iori. Which leads us to wear we are now, the beginning of his execution. "M-Mitsuru-Senpai, It's not like that; I had nothing to do with the fight!"

Usually fire was associated with anger; however, ice was my element. Iori knew he was doomed when is warm can of Ceilo Mist froze in its tin confinements. "Alright Iori, tell me exactly what happened and why…" I tried to calm myself and listen to the full story before I executed someone that was innocent. I believe my anger stemmed from the fact Arisato has no real older family to turn to when he needs help; I think of myself as his guardian even though he's old enough to care for himself. "I want to know all the facts about how it occurred and what made it transpire." The younger rapidly tried to recount all that had ensued that day with as much specifics as he could remember. His explanation had the varying puzzle pieces falling into their rightful place. "So, in theory, it's all an enormous misinterpretation." I pondered this thought; if it was all a miscalculation on Arisato's part then Mochizuki would be innocent to the charges. The true question is why didn't the scarfed male explain himself to Minato?

"They are both devastated and want the other back but they're too stubborn to admit it." Iori was right, the silver-eyed male was a leader and didn't like to acknowledge defeat or show desperation. His significant other seemed to fear losing, of any form, and with his recent loss, his perky attitude had dropped into one of misery. "I don't know what to do… They started fighting and I couldn't stop it." The male before me trailed off slowly, "after Minato ran off, Ryoji did start muttering 'what have I done' over and over." I didn't understand the relevance of that comment; it seemed to be a normal thing to say after someone ruined their chance to reunite with their partner.

"Iori, that seems to be a relatively ordinary announcement to say in this sort of situation." The boy in front of me held up his hands to stop me from continuing any further thoughts.

"That wasn't the weird part," he explained. "What he said after that was the strange part…" He trailed off slowly, seemingly thinking over his next words carefully. "He kept saying something like 'the fall is coming and I can't stop it' and other unusual stuff like that." I was surprised, for whatever it's worth; I understand what he was trying to say. I knew from the start he wasn't meaning the season; I have heard my Father talk about 'The Fall' before. It was an urban legend, a prophecy my grandfather talked about. 'The Fall' was a disastrous event much like Armageddon in the sense that the world ends. "Seems like you know what he was talking about…"

"Yes, I believe I do… I just don't know the significance yet…" I made my decision to undergo investigation on the matter, I'm sure my Father has some old files that can help me solve the missing piece. I look at Iori in warning, "you may leave and your execution will be postponed until further notice." With those few words being said, he quickly made his way out of the room. I sighed at this new information and the questions with lack of answers. I hadn't heard of 'The Fall' since I was a child; it was a secret project my Grandfather was working on to attempt solving the mysteries before he died. I glance around the room at its arctic appearance. Ice was hanging from the ceiling and coated everything; the sub-zero temperatures didn't help my nerves in the least. It was then that I thought to myself, how was there frost covering the room? What really made me question the event was that this wasn't the first time. "Oh Artemisia, what on Earth is going on…?"

Ch. 4.5 "Looking Glass"

Minato's P.O.V

_The day was looking absolutely wonderful today; maybe that thunderstorm will come and get rid of a few idiots for me… _I thought bitterly in my demented sarcasm. It's been over three weeks since my unfortunate falling out with that Baka (Idiot). I resolved to avoid the scarfed fool at all cost; it was depressing actually. I refused to hang out with my best friends because I don't want to see him and he happens to be one of my two best friends… well, was a best friend.

I was thankful to Miko for helping me get through all that three weeks ago. Minako Arisato, my adopted sister, was the person I turned to for comfort when Ryoji and I… well, I'm sure you already know. I was older by roughly thirteen minutes; we may not have had the same parents but our births were nearly simultaneous making us like twins by default. Despite my being slightly older, she still acted like a caring mother to me. Thinking back on it now, it was truly embarrassing to say the least. I was always the one to comfort her when her relationships went south. Guess it was bound to happen sooner or later, right? I am still grateful she was there for me; maybe I'll buy her a new pair of crimson headphones.

I was stopped from my internal ramblings by a tug on my jacket sleeve. I shifted to gaze at the young boy beside me, short black hair and dual-colored blue eyes. He wore the Gekkoukan school uniform, which was the same for all grade levels; it was a lot like Ken's only this boy wore pants, sandles, and a black-and-white stripped hoodie with his jacket. "You seem sad," he offered softly. This boy, Pharos was Ryoji's little brother… right? "I'm sure whatever's troubling you will soon be resolved." The raven-haired child smiled mysteriously, he honestly freaked me out sometimes. "A new ordeal awaits you soon. Actually, I think two ordeals will befall you soon… Isn't that what I would always say?" I gasped slightly, I remember him saying predictions like that when he would visit during the Dark Hour… but that was all just dreams. What am I saying…? Pharos has never visited the dorms and there is no such thing as the Dark Hour… right?

"I remember it… but it's never happened… has it?" I asked with uncertainty, I knew it couldn't be true but I was beginning to doubt myself. The events where there in my memories, playing vividly, almost too clearly to seem real but they were still there; Tartarus & the Dark Hour, Shadows and Personas… Orpheus… "It's true… Isn't it?" My gaze softens as we take a seat on the swings at Naganaki Shrine. Pharos and I had continued to walk as I contemplated the visions and somehow we ended up at the shrine. The mysterious boy nodded gently as he started to sway with the calm breeze.

"Why don't you try calling to him?" The death child suggested lightly, I didn't have an evoker with me though I'm sure I have one in my room, but I could still communicate with him in my psyche. So I did, I called for Orpheus softly and waited for a response. The musician had been my first persona in my 'dreams'… I always had him with me because he was my true soul. I started to believe I'd just gone crazy when I didn't get an answer. However, it wasn't long before that deep melodic voice I knew so well broke through the silence of my consciousness and into my thoughts. **_'__Thou art I, and I am thou. From the sea of thy soul I come forth. I am Orpheus, Master of Strings.'_** I smiled at the familiarity of carrying a persona in my heart and mind.** _'_**_**It has been awhile, Minato-Sama**.'_I calmly, yet with intense happiness answered _yes… It has been awhile._I leave my inner thoughts to look back at the still swaying boy. He watched me with a knowing grin, almost like he knew something I didn't. "I'm glad you found him again, you'll need him very soon I fear." Pharos rose from his seat leisurely and paced to the steps of the shrine leading to the main road. He turned to glance at me again and smiled, biding me farewell before he disappeared down the stairs.

**_'I think we should continue home, Minato-Sama._**' I nodded to no one in particular and casually trailed the path the child had taken moments before, following the Personas wise advice and making my way to the dorms. I placed my blaring silver headphones over my ears; the wondrous sound of Burn My Dread entered my hearing, blocking out the world around me. I was blissfully unaware of my surroundings and apparently closed my eyes for a little too long. My near comatose and zombie-like state I'd perfected years ago was broken when I felt something ram itself into my side. Had it been from the front I would have assumed I'd ran into a pole or building by how much it hurt. In my zombified state I was unable to balance myself and ended up falling flat on my ass. That hurt… greatly. I opened my eyes and removed my earphones, a blond around my age stared right back.

She wore the Gekkoukan high female winter uniform and a strange looking headband. There was another girl standing beside the fallen blond, she had jet black hair and ruby colored eyes, an opposite of the others crystal blue. The darker of the two also had a strange red hat that almost looked like a visor or a battle mask. They seemed like an odd pair. I stood up and brushed the dust off myself quickly and extended my hand to the fallen lady. "I'm sorry; I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

The girl hesitantly grasped my hand and pulled herself up. "That's alright… I wasn't watching either." Her voice sounded slightly robotic and lacked a certain quality that made it seem monotone. I smiled lightly and nodded, agreeing to take partial blame. I searched my memory for these girls that obviously went to my school. I didn't remember ever seeing them… well; the blond was kind of familiar. They must have realized I was staring at the uniforms, at least, if they thought otherwise they didn't kill me. "My sister just transferred to Gekkoukan and we relocated to the dorms. I am Aigis and this is my twin sister Metis." I nodded again, they had such odd names; must be foreign.

"My names Minato, maybe I could help you find the dorms." I'm sure they thought it was odd, a random guy you bump into offering to show you to the girls dorms. My excuse is I'm part of the student council and it's my job to help with things like this. "If you don't mind me asking, what year are you?"

Metis looked confused for a moment then acted like she wanted to answer but the elder twin beat her to it. "I don't mind, I'm a second year and Metis is a first year. I think we should be able to find the dorms on our own, Arigatō." I smiled at her politeness, they seemed nice enough, hope I didn't just doom my soul. I was still curious about where I'd seen Aigis before and I wondered how they were twins if one was in a lower grade; my questions seemed to puzzle the twins. "Minato-Kun… I am part of your class. I transferred at the beginning of last semester." I was dumbfounded. Of course, her assigned seat is beside mine… How did I forget that? "I guess I shouldn't expect you to remember, you do sleep most of the time." The younger giggled slightly while the blond smirked at my misfortune. "As for the grades… Metis started school a year later than I did; for private reasons." I nodded; this was something I didn't expect.

I told them to meet me at the school gate on Monday and I'd help Metis find all the necessities. Today was Saturday and school had already ended for the week so she would have to wait for her tour. Metis finally worked up the courage and found the opportunity to blurt out that they were lost and really needed my help finding their new place of residence. I laughed softly while Aigis glared at her twin, she obviously didn't want people to know they had gotten lost. "Where are you staying and I'll see if I can help."

The blond turned defeated and hopeful eyes to mine and answered in her robotic voice. "Our belongings are at the Clamshell Inn," I flinch as a memory of the other world enters my thoughts, "but we are searching for the Iwatodai Dormitory." A grin graces my lips yet again; I nod and explain that I knew exactly where that was located by heart. I live in that dorm and know it very well. I offer to help them carry their stuff away from that 'Love Hotel', which they happily agreed too.

The trip itself was mostly uneventful, the Clamshell Inn was as scary as always and the fact the receptionist wished me 'luck with the ladies' was horrifying. I'm not saying they aren't pretty, they are reasonably lovely but I'm not here for that… plus the fact my 'door' seems to swing the other way might prove to be a problem with that scenario. We talked about various things, mostly Metis asking about the school and the town or questions about myself. The dormitory was quite lively when we entered. Yukari, Fuuka, and Shinjiro were cooking… well, the green-haired girl was trying to and Senpai was helping while Yukari just watched. Mitsuru and Akihiko were quietly conversing about some topic that seemed to be important, judging by the serious expressions they wore. Ken was running around the room with Koromaru chasing behind, obviously playing some game. Junpei and Ryoji, who shouldn't even be here, were doing several things. The elder was reading some teen magazine while watching the other play his portable game system. I shouted the traditional greeting with little enthusiasm, "tadaima!"

All eyes fell on us as we entered the door. "Okaeri Arisato, you must be Aigis and Metis, the new transfers to the dorm." The student council president spoke with an air of confidence; she had a habit of being the one to take authority and control. The redhead made her was towards us, explaining key information and room numbers to the twins. "Arisato, could you help them find their rooms and anything else they may need please?" I nodded, it didn't really matter to me; I just wanted out of those blue eyes' sight. So I lead them up the stairwell to the third floor and their new rooms, I tried to explain anything they questioned. One thing never left my mind though… The look of utter sadness and betrayal, the expression of agonizing pain and hurt that etched its way onto Ryoji's face as I walked away with these girls and didn't even acknowledge his existence. That look will always be in my memories, never to be forgotten, always there to haunt my thoughts…

And so, the seasons changed.

To Be Continued in Chapter Five:

"Perfect Disaster"


	5. Emperor

Here is chapter five like I promised last chapter... I still don't own... but enjoy anyway...

* * *

Memento Mori: Ch. 5 "Perfect Disaster"

3rd Person

The season changed about a week ago… The Gekkoukan winter uniforms were replaced with a summer equivalent, basically the same uniform minus the jacket and with short sleeves. All students were preparing for their exams, which was still a little ways away. Minato and Ryoji's relationship has only grown farther apart as the days fly by. Today was Saturday and the school day just ended, allowing the teenagers to bask in the remainder of the diurnal. Minato met up with his two newest friends at the school gate as they left, it had become a routine over the last week. "Minato-Kun… greetings…" Aigis said with her usual mechanical voice and a blush. Metis waved slightly and nodded as her own form of 'hello'. Unlike most of the schoolgirls that now sported the summer apparel, the twins continued to wear the winter attire. The bluenette nodded and said a quiet 'hey' as he approached. They began their walk home idly chatting about this and that, homework was always an issue.

"Um… Minato-Senpai… w-would you help me with my assignments? I-I don't understand it." The younger twin questioned hesitantly. She had a habit of stuttering and being a little nervous when it came to asking for help, otherwise she was really energetic. The boy in question smiled while confirming and promising to help as best as he could. "Arigatō gozaimasu Senpai!" Metis exclaimed thankfully, the blond stared at her sister with a smile at the girl's politeness. "Oh Senpai; I almost forgot… This guy asked me on a date… I was hoping you and Onēchan would go with me?"

They stopped in their tracks and turned to the red-eyed girl in questioning. "You want us to go with you so it's like a double date?" Minato asked in mild confusion, the youngest nodded to confirm her unusual statement. The two in question turned to each other, looking for a reaction but neither got one. "I guess it would be alright, right Aigis-Chan?"

The crystal eyed girl nodded, a slight blush covered her cheeks as she smiled at the sole boy. The elder sister's heart was soaring, she was on cloud nine; her crush had just agreed to go on a date with her. Aigis sent her raven-haired sister a look, the expression itself was almost blank, just a small smile, but with closer inspection and years of experience you could tell her eyes shined with intense delight.

They continued their voyage back to the dorms, passing the Port Island Theater and Paulownia Mall on their stroll to the train station. The station's intercom blared loudly, interrupting the idle chatter by announcing the train had arrived. The next stop being the Iwatodai Station, the trio boarded with ease since few rode the train at this time of day and waited to depart Tatsumi Port Island.** '_Minato-Sama… I foresee your next trial will transpire before the descent of the coming full moon._'** Orpheus confided within the young Persona-users mind. The mythical musician had a habit of giving valuable information wrapped in riddles and twisted words. However important it was, a second thought concerning it wasn't made and the day continued its course. Tomorrow, Sunday after class became the declared date for the intriguing engagement.

The hours passed by without much excitement, the twins left for their shared room to discuss the events of the following day. Minato spent a few hours in the company of Junpei, playing games and listening to the countless thoughts that the younger male wished to voice. The blue-haired boy abandoned his companion and left for his room the moment Ryoji waltzed through the door. The air was tense and the dorm was quiet, sleep was hard to find that night.

Sunday came sooner than most were willing to acknowledge. The young Persona-user was awake at the early hours of the day. Loud barking and a depressed whine of a dog lead Minato into the commons area of the dorm. The couches were empty, the TV was on and Koromaru sat in front of the door, scratching dejectedly. "Do you need a walk Koro-Chan?" The dog barked thankfully at the question and proceeded to run circles around the boy. The human gave a small smile at the shiba's antics, "alright, calm down." The small dog escaped out the door the second it was opened. His winged collar swayed with the wind giving it the appearance of flapping wings as he ran down the sidewalk to Naganaki Shrine. The unnaturally quiet boy chased after the little pup to be sure he didn't lose him.

The shrine was empty today, it was too early for Akinari to be out-and-about and Maiko had special school classes on Sundays. The bluenette took a seat on one of the swings as he watched the canine frolic joyously. The petite white pooch eventually made his way over to his assumed owner. "I envy you sometimes Koro-Chan," he tilted his furry head, questioning the words spoken. "Your life seems so much easier… You don't seem to worry about things like relationships."

Minato trailed off as he readjusted his gaze to the bright blue sky. Koromaru whined softly as he rubbed against the boys' leg,** _'I think he is trying to tell you not to worry so much… It will all turn out fine.'_ **Orpheus' melodic voice was soft and gentle in his mind, like an older sibling. The boy smiled as he continued to pet the red eyed dog. "Maybe we should be heading back… don't you think, Koro-Chan?" The shiba ecstatically hopped to his furry paws and made his way to the stairs, taking care to wait for his new master to follow.

It was nearing noon before they returned to the dorms, the cool morning breeze had risen to a nice temperature that wasn't too hot or too cold. The student apartment was quiet lively when they returned; the twins were dressed nicely and ready to go. Yukari and Fuuka were gathering information about the double date from the girls. Ken, happy to find Koromaru, was playing with the small dog. Mitsuru quietly conversed with Akihiko and Shinjiro while shooting worrisome glances at the blue-haired boy. Junpei was grinning from ear-to-ear as he wrapped an arm around the elder Persona-user's shoulders. "So, I hear you got yourself a date with Ai-Chan. I think I'm going to tag along and make sure you behave yourself."

The wild card frowned slightly at his friend, accusing thoughts flashing in his psyche. "You just want to hang out with the twins and get free food…" his glare intensified. "I'm not paying for you food." The younger boy flinched at the intensity of the glare. He feigned a look of innocence to the 'unjust' accusation. It may have been true but the dark-haired boy didn't like that his quiet friend saw through his plan so easily. Their interrogation was interrupted by the opening of the main door. All color drained from Junpei's face and Minato's scowl strengthened tenfold when, not only Ryoji waltzed through the door but also exclaimed he was here to pick up Metis for their date. "I'll pay for your food for a month Junpei… as long as you join us. I need someone to watch and make sure I don't do something I'll regret later." A hesitant and nervous nod was his only response.

The walk to the designated places was filled with tension and unease. The movie had been awkward since the twins wanted something romantic, after all, it was a date. Junpei was usually placed between the two girls to create more distance between the ex-lovers. They decided to stop at the Changall Café for a combination of lunch and dinner. The females settled for tea and a few ongiri while the third wheel got a cup of coffee. Minato, in love with the idea of desert food, ordered a chocolate-strawberry shake. Ryoji ended up purchasing a glass of sugary coffee and some pocky. Every so often you could catch the scarfed boy staring sadly at the elder girls date or shooting the youngest male pained looks when he caught the others eye. The bluenette would, for the most part, ignore the incarnation of death or if he did acknowledge his existence, would settle into a heated glare of fierce proportions. "Um… so, I heard you're from overseas Ryoji-San?"

The quiet voice of Metis eased the overbearing tension in the room ever-so-slightly. All eyes had turned to her in slight wonder before initially understanding the question; she flushed a deep crimson and hid her eyes beneath her black hair. Ryoji grinned nervously at her inquire, "Uh yeah… I was born here in Japan but my parents were transferred to Sweden for most of my life. My mother decided to travel back here with my younger brother and me." The only awakened Persona-user's gaze had changed from a scowl to one of newfound interest. The blue eyed boy rarely talked about his life prior to Gekkoukan.

"I didn't know you lived in Sweden."

Everyone's stare shifted to the unusually quiet male whose silver eyes were watching the eldest with curiosity. Said elder male's smile brightened at the statement, his eyes held a glimmer of hope of being reunited with his other half as he beamed fondly at the slightly younger male. "Yeah, I grew up there. It's not as great as it is here in Japan but I don't regret ever living there." Minato smiled lightly at the new information, his now normal glare dissolved with the knowledge of Sweden. With a small smile still on his lips, he continued to devour his shake. The sad part about scarfing ice-cream is for most, eating too quickly and entering a "brain freeze" which is what the bluenette unintentionally did. The boy grasped his head tightly and excused himself to the restroom. The worried eyes of the group followed until he was out of sight. Junpei was quick to start up a new conversation, which Metis found absolutely fascinating. Aigis, who had been quiet for the most part, would occasionally shoot worried glances towards the direction Minato had disappeared. There was a halt in conversation when the raven-haired male abruptly stood. "Um… I'm going to go check on Minato-Kun."

Junpei shrugged, appearing to not care but internally worried about his friend's well-being. As Ryoji left the small group, he jumped back into his chat with the youngest twin. The blond however, watched the other male leave with a dark glare and suspicion in her crystal eyes.

Minato's original intention had been to use the restroom while waiting for his brain to 'unfreeze'. He ended up splashing cold water on his blushing face to cool down after his momentarily lustful thoughts about the incarnation of death. "What on Earth in wrong with me?" he whispered slightly to himself to which Orpheus remarked he was in love. The statement was true in every regard, however, he didn't want to admit it to the outside world.

The men's room door opened behind him, he raised his gaze to the mirror to glance at the newcomer, "Minato?" His eyes widened in shock and he rapidly spun around to face his new company. Ryoji hesitantly stepped closer to the bluenette, a look of nervousness plastered clearly on his visage. "Minato I… I'm sorry…" He trailed off slowly, words abnormally soft as he lowered his gaze to the tiled floor. The younger tentatively took a few steps toward the scarfed male. "I didn't… I…" A sigh escaped his lips, "I love you Minato… I want you back… Please?"

The discussion between Metis and Junpei had steadily grew from idle chatter to a deep conversation, "really?! I never knew that." The younger twin exclaimed in wonder. The male nodded before continuing his extravagant explanation. Aigis half listened, half watched for the wild card to return from the bathroom. The crystal-eyed girl was growing increasingly suspicious of the two males absence, her temper and overprotective nature was flaring. She sighed in defeat; there was no way for her to know what was taking them so long. A combination of Aigis's newfound agitation and the wild movement of the only male left in the group resulted in coffee being spilled on the unaware blond girl. "Onēchan, are you alright?! I'm sorry!"

The elder girl waved her off with annoyance. "It's fine Metis…" She trailed off; her mind had formed a solution to her worries. All she had to do was simply mistake the men's room for the girls and her doubts would be satiated. "I'm going to go and try washing this off." A sneaky smile covered her lips, she didn't think she was being notorious or evil; she just wanted to make sure Minato was alright.

Minato's eyes widened as soon as those words left the raven-haired boys male's lips. He froze, his mind went blank and his body refused to move. Ryoji gazed at him with desperation; his voice cracked and fell into pitiful pleading. "Minato, I love you. I can't stand not having you by my side; I can't stand not being able to be close to you. Please… Please, give me a second chance." Liquid trails started to run down his reddened cheeks, threatening to escape from silver eyes as well. The bluenette blinked to halt his emerging tears; he stayed in his place by the sink because he didn't know what to do.

'Minato-Sama… Just go for it.' When Orpheus gave him that mental push, it caused a chain reaction. The other-self dropped all tension, all the anger and everything that his mind had created to keep him from the bringer of death. It was entirely cliché and cheesy but Minato didn't care as he dashed into the blue-eyed boys embrace. The elder male, despite his surprise, eagerly secured his arms around the bluenette's waist while the Persona-user latched onto his scarf lustfully. Ryoji tentatively grasped the younger boy's cheek and brought their lips closer together until there was no more space between them. It had started simple, sweet, and chaste but evolved into a deep and passionate kiss. The sound of the restroom door opening didn't bother them in the least, in fact, they didn't even notice.

"I-I'm sorry! I thought this was…" the near robotic voice that could only belong to Aigis snapped the two males from their blissfully unaware state. Their lips separated but they stayed wrapped in each other's arms for lack of realizing what was happening around them. "What is going on?" Anger boiled inside the blond girl, the blue-eyed male quickly tried to explain through his cloudy mind. "You are dangerous!" she all but shouted, she raised her hands to point at them. That in itself wasn't troubling, but upon closer inspection, one could see the gun-like chambers built into her figure tips. The elder twin very nearly eradicated the boys in her anger; thankfully, the restroom door was pushed open again. A gray-haired, gray-eyed young male stood in the doorway, blinking at the sight before him. The boys sprung apart and Aigis dropped her hands, the tall, slender male blinked again and casually walked to one of the many bathroom sinks. His voice was smooth and his words very blunt.

"Relationship problems?"

To Be Continued in Chapter Six:

"Surreal Reality"

* * *

... Please don't kill me for making Ryoji from Sweden... I needed him to be from somewhere for this to make any sense at all (even in my head) and he never mentions stuff like this in the game. I was originally going to use France but... A friend said she'd throw something at me if I did that... I don't know why though...? I think France sounds like a nice place... Oh well, Sweden is just as good, hope you agree.


End file.
